22 state discoms fail to achieve RPO targets: Report

New Delhi: As many as 22 state discoms failed to achieve the target of securing power from renewable energy sources like wind and solar in 2012, says a report.
"In all, out of 29 states, 22 failed to meet their RPO targets which led to a loss of more than 25 per cent electricity that was expected to be generated from renewable energy sources in 2012," independent campaigning organisation Greenpeace said in its assessment report on Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO).

RPO refers to the obligation imposed by law on some entities to buy electricity generated by specified green sources.

"RPO framework in its present form has failed to deliver its mandate and many powerful states including Delhi have made the mockery of the current framework. Power Ministry needs to make it mandatory with a provision of penal measures to ensure the implementation of RPOs directive," the report said.

"This report is an indictment of the whole policy framework around renewables and the dismissive attitude of the government towards it. RPO mechanism could have been a tool to bridge the demand-supply gap in the energy sector across the country.

"But the toothless mechanism combined with unambitious targets has failed to give any impetus to renewables in India," Abhishek Pratap, senior energy campaigner, Greenpeace India and lead author of the report said.

According to the report, very few states have demonstrated the leadership in implementing the RPO framework and fulfilling their obligation on renewables.

"The north eastern state of Meghalaya and Nagaland, the hill states of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh and the southern coastal states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka have clearly taken the lead in not only meeting their RPO targets but also generating over and above the targets," it added.